Ran away from the Dutch

by M. T. H. Perelaer

Damboeng ordered one of his canoes to remain behind to guard the mouth of the channel, with strict injunctions to suffer nothing to pass. He then sailed with the other two canoes along the western bank of the lake in order to examine every angle and creek while making this circuitous progress towards the raft on the eastern shore.

Bapa Andong, foreseeing the danger of this manœuvre, wished to signal the canoes to return; but Dalim imperatively closed his mouth and whispered something into his ear, giving him at the same time a taste of a small dagger between his ribs. The Dayak looked frightened at his compatriot; he observed how Dalim’s companions, rifle or mandauw in hand, surrounded him [[127]]with anxious faces while his own mates remained almost indifferent to the scene. He could not understand it at all, but it became evident to him that for the present he had better remain silent.

The two canoes on the other side still kept close to the western bank. Suddenly a fearful cry came forth from both vessels and their occupants were seen to throw up their arms and wave them about desperately. Some of them jumped into the lake and tried to save themselves by swimming as fast as they could, diving repeatedly and crying out, “badjanji! badjanji!” the bees, the bees.

They had been furiously attacked by the insects whose nests had been so mercilessly robbed the night before. Stifled by the smoke and carried onward by the storm the bees had fallen to the ground stupefied. On the following morning they had returned to their old haunts in search of the nests whence they had been so rudely driven, and finding them all removed became infuriated. This is always the case; for several days after the ingathering of these harvests of wax and honey, it is extremely dangerous to approach the trees where the nests formerly hung, and of this fact Damboeng Papoendeh and his followers now received forcible confirmation. They had innocently approached the spot when suddenly clouds of bees swarmed down upon them and furiously attacked them with their envenomed stings.

The Europeans on the raft looked on in speechless astonishment at the panic which seemed to have overtaken the occupants of the advancing canoes, but by reason of the distance had not the slightest idea of what had happened. When, however, they saw Dalim jump with delight and heard what kind of enemies [[128]]had attacked their pursuers a selfish sensation of gratitude took possession of them. They could not help rejoicing at the denouement which had thus prevented a sanguinary encounter. When, however, they began to realize the danger to which their pursuers were exposed their hearts melted and they felt almost ashamed at idly looking on while their fellow-creatures were in their death struggles. Already the two Swiss had sprung into a djoekoeng to assist the unfortunates, in whom they no longer beheld enemies but suffering brethren. The Dayak, however, conjured them to remain where they were unless they wished to rush into certain death. The wisdom of this counsel soon became manifest, for the wild hordes of bees, not satisfied with their primary revenge on the occupants of the canoes, began to disperse about the lake and to assail every living thing they encountered.

Wienersdorf and Schlickeisen had already received some painful stings on their hands and faces which sent them flying back to the raft. Any assistance to the sufferers was consequently out of the question. They, themselves, in order to escape further attacks were compelled to light fires and envelope themselves in dense smoke.

Nothing further was heard from aboard the two canoes which, carried on by the current of the lake, quietly drifted towards the mouth of the channel beyond the reach of the revengeful insects. As soon as Dalim and Bapa Andong perceived that the fury of the bees was abated and that they were flying back to the tree, they resolved to approach the drifting boats in order to learn what could be gathered from their appearance and appointment. [[129]]Johannes, Wienersdorf, and the three hirelings accompanied them. These last carried an abundance of green branches wherewith to kindle a fire in the event of its becoming necessary to protect themselves with smoke.

The spectacle presented when they approached the canoes was heartrending. Four of the occupants were found struggling in the last agonies of death and exhibiting strong symptoms of delirium; while the others had their arms, hands, faces, nay, every part of their body which had been exposed to the fury of the bees, swollen to such a degree as to render their aspect quite unlike that of human beings. All were senseless from the intense pain caused by the innumerable poisonous stings.

In order to be safe from a renewed attack the boats were taken into mid-channel. When safely there they all, and especially the two Europeans, set to work to render assistance. They gave the sufferers water to drink, rubbed their swollen faces and limbs with cocoanut oil and used every effort to lessen their agony. While they were thus occupied, the boat which had been left behind by Damboeng Papoendeh to guard the canal came to the aid of their fellow voyagers. Medical assistance seemed to be the first necessity. To secure this the return journey was immediately decided upon. The twelve occupants of the sentinel canoe were divided among the three boats and the flotilla started homewards.

Dalim proposed to accompany them as far as the Kapoeas, thus assisting them through the intricate navigation of the canal. Ere the outlet was reached four of the sufferers died and the [[130]]condition of the three others, including Damboeng Papoendeh, had become extremely dangerous. Dalim therefore strongly advised the natives to row with all despatch to the nearest kampong, where they would be sure to obtain further assistance.